Roman Martyrology

The reading

January 21

At Rome, the passion of St. Agnes, virgin, who under Symphronius, governor of the city, was thrown into the fire, but as it was extinguished by her prayers, she was struck with the sword. Of her, St. Jerome writes: "Agnes is praised in the writings and by the tongues of all nations, especially in the churches. She overcame the weakness of her age, conquered the cruelty of the tyrant, and consecrated her chastity by martyrdom." — At Athens, the birthday of St. Publius, bishop, who, as successor of St. Denis the Areopagite, nobly governed the Church of Athens. No less celebrated for the lustre of his virtues than for the brilliancy of his learning, he was gloriously crowned for having borne testimony to Christ. — At Tarragona, in Spain, during the reign of Gallienus, the holy martyrs Fructuosus, bishop, Augurius and Eulogius, deacons, who, after being thrown into prison, were cast into the fire, where their bonds being burnt, they extended their arms in the form of a cross, and consummated their martyrdom in prayer. On their anniversary, St. Augustine preached a sermon to his people. — At Troyes, St. Patroclus, martyr, who won the crown of martyrdom under the emperor Aurelian. — In the monastery of Keichenau, St. Meinrad, hermit, who was killed by brigands. — At Pavia, St. Epiphanius, bishop and confessor.

Source: The Roman Martyrology, Baltimore, 1916, John Murphy Company; local raw text lines 1070-1104.